Scariest Episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark

Are You Afraid of the Dark, which aired from 1991 to 2000, spanned a total of 7 seasons and entertained viewers young and old with some thrills, chills—and, yes, even some cheesiness. Although not every episode of this 90s horror anthology show has stood the test of time, there are still many episodes which can scare the pants off kids, kids at heart, and just plain old adults. Which episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark? We will have you answering with a resounding “YES!”? Let’s take a look!

The Tale of Apartment 214

This episode may not seem scary in its synopsis: a lonely girl befriends a lonely old woman named Madeline, only to break a promise to meet her one afternoon to hang out with new friends her own age, which results in Madeline (who is, of course, a ghost) becoming angry with her. What’s so scary about an old woman, even a ghostly one? In short: everything! The character of Madeleine might be sweet when she’s happy, but once you get her mad? You’ll be cringing behind your blankets at how terrifying she can be! Thankfully, this episode does have a happy ending… as long as Madeline is never angered again.

The Tale of the Quicksilver

You’ll never look at the letter “Q” the same way again. In this particularly creepy tale, a demon haunts the home of a newly-moved in family, seeking the souls (and lives) of the children inside. What is particularly creepy about this episode is the effectiveness of the demon’s make-up, and the fact that his evil presence is always preceded by something so simple… a “Q” on the wall. This episode will make you want to skip from “P” right to “R!”

The Tale of the Crimson Clown

This episode was a real nightmare for anyone with even a passing anxiety about clowns. This particularly dark episode tells the story of two brothers, one of whom (who, it must be admitted, was a total brat) is terrified by a sinister clown doll that wants to teach him a deadly lesson about being terrible to his family. The lesson is learned, but not enough can be said about the absolutely creepiness of this small, purple haired clown doll, who behaves and looks like he belongs more in it than a children’s show. Jump over here to find more information about great entertainment options.